Monastir has its own international airport (Habib Bourguiba International Airport), which receives direct charter and scheduled flights from many European cities, making it one of the more accessible coastal towns in Tunisia without passing through Tunis. Several European airlines operate seasonal routes, particularly from the UK, France, Germany, and Scandinavia.
From Tunis, the TGM light rail runs to Sousse, and from Sousse the Sahel Metro (a regional light rail system) connects south through El Kantaoui to Monastir — the full journey from Tunis takes about two hours. By car from Tunis, the A1 motorway runs to Sousse and the journey takes about 90 minutes in normal traffic. Kairouan, one of Islam's holiest cities, is about 80 kilometres inland from Monastir and easily reached as a day trip.